Huge mansion from the age of the robber barons. Home of the late Matilda Dodge. Great way to get a feel for how the other half lived during the first part of the 20th century. Tour was informative and the building impressive if a bit gloomy even on a bright day.
hard to believe but it's been almost 40 yrs since i was inside meadowbrook hall in my hometown of rochester, michigan. i was a room guide when i was 15 but other than looking at the grounds & exterior, i hadn't taken a tour for many yrs. even when i "worked" there i didn't take the tour nor understand the total history. it's the 3rd largest historical home in usa (biltmore at 150,000 sq ft, dupont in delaware & meadowbrook at 88,000). as always, these homes are full of stories & history. now it's time to find a book to fill in more details of this woman and her 2 influential husbands. if you are in the detroit area & looking for something to do, go here. the tour is (in my opinion) the way to go but you can do a self guided tour. there are numerous gardens, the original farm house and starting in 2015, the 2 playhouses will be open to the public. plan 1.5 hrs for tour and enjoy rest of buildings for at least 1-2 hrs. bring a book and relax. try and imagine how quiet this place was 80+ yrs ago. the entrance fee is reasonable and my mom got a sr discount and if you are affiliated with Oakland Univ, you also get a discount.
The website gives the impression there are tours every hour at this site. We drove all the way out there, and found out "that at this time of year, we only have one tour a day, and you missed it." Luckily, we had a sympathetic docent, who was willing to give us a mini tour of the first floor to give us a flavor of the manor. We really appreciated her kindness. We will go back again to see the entire manor another time AFTER we call to be sure we can see it all. My fiancé has been there in the past, and would give it a "5" star rating.
This glorious mansion is a must visit to all locals and visitors alike See how the real money makers Of the time lived and entertained...
This is the third largest private residence in the U.S. we actually enjoyed this visit more than we liked the Biltmore tour. It is certainly a grand home, but it does feel like a home, and not simply a monument to someone's ego. I also like that it was built by local craftsmen. The volunteers could not have been nicer. All in all, a great visit.
I was there for a wedding and we had an awesome experience. The extremely courteous staff, the incredible venue, and the very nice wedding we attended made it an unforgettable night. The mansion itself is quite impressive.
I have been here several times for work events, and it's always neat to walk the grounds or tour inside.
This is so pretty! You do not get the information about the house as you do on a regular tour. But you do get to visit the rooms in their holiday best. You also get to hear the musical organ being played. It is a lovely visit.
Was recent guest of the OUWB Medical School White Coat Ceremony. The event was beautiful, the grounds were spectacular; beautiful gardens everywhere you looked. The strolling reception offered a wide variety of food and was plentiful. If you have not visited the grounds and the mansion, it is time to step back in time and learn of the era, the family and how they lived. Not to mention their philanthropy involvement.
It is so beautiful!! So many rooms, so much interesting history. You get to see most of the house on a regular tour, the bedrooms, living areas, dinning room etc. I will be going back to see the holiday displays (40 Xmas tress) and to do the behind the scene tour. That is when you get to see all the lil hidden extras in the house the hidden staircase, the children's playrooms, the 4th floor. The ground are also very beautiful, it must see if in the area.